Combination wedding and engagement ring and unit therefor



April 1955 J. H. SCHAEFFER 2,706,542

COMBINATION WEDDING AND ENGAGEMENT RING AND UNIT THEREFOR Filed Sept. 29, 1953 l ||ll INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent COMBINATION WEDDING AND ENGAGEMENT RING AND UNIT THEREFOR Jacob H. chaeifer, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Shiman Bros. & Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation Application September 29, 1953, Serial No. 382,925

4 Claims. (Cl. 189-36) This invention relates to improvements in rings and more particularly to finger ring ensembles and improved means for connecting an engagement ring and a wedding ring so that they do not rotate relative to one another while worn on the finger.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 44,348, filed August 14, 1948, now Patent No. 2,668,605 issued February 9, 1954.

An object of this invention is to provide a separable connecting unit for a ring ensemble that is carried in one ring and which may be manually moved into retracted and projected positions. In the retracted position the connecting unit is barely noticeable and does not detract from the appearance of the ring even though both opposed ends project sufiiciently beyond the opposed facings of the ring. In the projected position the unit provides a positive separable connection with the other ring of the ensemble to hold the two rings against relative rotation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a connecting unit which in its retracted position may be pushed inwardly with the finger nail at one end so that it will extend or project to a greater extent from the opposite facing of the ring to permit the connecting unit to be grasped by opposed outer notches of the unit with the finger nails of one hand to draw it out to its extended position. This eliminates the use of any pointed tool or instrument to move the connecting unit out of its retracted position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means on the connecting unit to prevent it from falling or being separated from the ring in which it is being housed.

Another object is to provide a central upright member or partition in the other ring of the ensemble not carrying the connecting unit to pry or wedge apart the legs of the connecting unit to prevent the unit from retracting into the ring in which it is housed.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference is had to the following detailed description, in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an engagement rmg showing a small rectangular opening beneath the central stone Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a wedding ring showing a central opening divided by a central upright part1- tion or member adapted to cooperate with the connecting unit in the engagement ring shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of two rings of the ensemble interlocked by the connecting unit shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7;

Fig. 4 is a top or plan view of the slideway and stabilizer plate in upside down position to show the track upon which the connecting unit slides and the stop member;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the connecting U-shaped unit;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken through both rings of the ensemble, as connected, the same being taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an upside down plan or top view of the connecting unit within its slideway and in retracted position;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken through line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Referring to the drawings, the engagement ring 10 shown in Fig. 1, has a small rectangular opening 11 in the central portion of the setting 12 adjacent to the inner circumference of the ring. The setting shown is only one form of design shown for the purpose of illustration and 2,706,542 Patented Apr. 19, 1955 may be designed to hold any desired arrangement of stones. The wedding ring 13 shown in Fig. 2, also has a rectangular opening 14 divided by a central partition or member 15, located at the front of the opening 14. The. opening 14 is located in the central portion of the mounting for the jewels or stones and is spaced the same distance from the inner circumference 16 of the wedding ring as the opening 11, shown in Fig. 1, is spaced from its inner circumference of the engagement ring.

The rings shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be of any desired deslgn and the number, size and arrangement of jewels supported by the mounting or setting may be varied in an infinite variety of forms.

In order to prevent relative rotational movement and relative axial movement of the two rings when worn together on the finger, such rings are interlocked by a separate connecting unit 17, which is substantially formed like the letter U. The connecting unit 17 has a pair of opposed legs 18-18 which are joined at one end by a cross member 19.

The unit 1'! lies in a stabilizer and slideway plate 21 wlth the opposed ends of the unit 17 projecting beyond the opposed edges of the plate 21 and the opposed facings of the rmg for the reason as will be hereinafter described. The plate 21, having a base 25 and an upper face 40, 1s tapered downwardly on all four sides and is substantially square. Two opposed sides 22-22 are formed as opposed parallel downwardly projecting skids. Extending inwardly from the inner face of skids 22 are opposed tracks 20-20 which are on the same plane as the front and rear cross members 23-23 of the plate 21. As shown in Fig 1 plate 21 snugly fits within a complementary opening in ring 19 so that tracks 20 and cross members 23 with the upper face 40 of the base of said opening define the slideway or opening 11 within which the connecting unit 17 moves.

Adjacent the front end of the plate 21 is a depending stop 35 which is of the same height as the skids 22 and prevents the U-shaped unit 17 from being separated from the plate 21, as will be hereinafter described. The meth- 0d of inserting the stabilizer plate into the engagement ring is described with great particularity in my Patent No. 2,615,313.

When the stabilizer plate is soldered into the enlarged opening of the ring, a traverse slideway or opening is created heretofore designed by numeral 11. The top of the stabilizer plate has a large opening 26 therethrough to permit light to pass therethrough and to pass through an opening in the inner portion of the ring beneath the central stone in order to add to the brilliancy of the stone in the central setting.

The connecting unit 17 is U-shaped and is of uniform thickness and does not extend above the height of the skids 22 but is a trifle lower so that it can slide within the opening 11. The skids 22 have elongated inner recesses 24 with curved front and rear portions to receive the projections of the U-shaped member hereinafter described.

Projecting outwardly from each of the sides of legs 18 are elongated projections 27-27, each projection having a front and rear shoulder 28 and 29, respectively, with a concave arcuate edge therebetween.

When the unit 17 is in its retracted position, as shown in Fig. 7, the elongated projections 27, with its shoulders 28, 29, lie within the inner recesses 24 and it should be particularly noted that the outer edge 30 of the cross member 19 extends beyond the outer edge of the stabilizer plate 21 so that it would be easy for a person to push the unit 17 inwardly with the finger nail. The front of the legs 18 have outer notches 31-31 to permit the finger nails to enter to grip the front or outer extremities 32-32 of the legs 18. The outer extremities 32 have inwardly sloping ends 33 and inwardly facing opposed projections 34 extending from the inner edges of the legs 18 for the purpose as will be hereinafter described.

In operation, the connecting unit 17 is normally in its retracted position, as shown in Fig. 7, and to move it to its projected position, as shown in Fig. 6, the finger nail is pressed against the outer edge 30 causing the front shoulders 28 to override the front corners of the recesses 24 since the legs 18 would be forced slightly towards one another so that the finger nails of the thumb and one of the other fingers can readily fall within the opposed outer notches 31-31 and the unit 17 can easily be pulled outwardly until the inner edge 36 of the cross member 19 abuts the inner edge of stop 35. The unit 17 in the projected position shown in Fig. 6 is ready to rece ve the wedding ring shown in Fig. 2. The wedding ring is then aligned axially with the engagement ring so that the central upright partition or member falls between the inwardly sloping ends 3333 upon inward pressure of the central partition 15 upon the sloping ends 33. Thelegs 18 pass through the openings 14-14 so that the partition 15 is seated between the legs 18-18 and behind the projections 34-34 forcing them slightly apart so that the rear shoulders 29 stop against the outer edge of plate 21 preventing the unit 17 from moving inwardly nto plate 21 and the unit 17 takes the position shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The outer facing wall 37 of the wedding ring adjacent to the opening 14 becomes seated between the front and rear shoulders 2829 while the outer extremities 32.32 lodge within the channel 38 formed between the outer facing walls of the wedding ring and firmly positions the two rings so that there is no relative rotation between them.

In order to take the rings apart it is a simple matter to merely pull them apart or to insert a blade between the rings and pry them apart. The mere outward force will cause the central partition 15 to override the inner projections 34. When the rings are apart, the unit 17 18 then forced inwardly into the slideway or open1ng 11 of the engagement ring by slightly compressing the legs 18 towards one another so that the rear shoulders 29 2.9 clear the opposed edges of the opening 11 andthe unit 17 is pushed inwardly until the elongated pro ections 27 are lodged within the recesses ing against the inner curved portion of the recesses 24.

It is understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the design of the rings and in the size and position of the openings to receive the interlocking or connecting unit without departing from the general spirit of the invention. It is also to be understood that the openings 11 and 14 and the wedge 15 may be reversed in the respective rings hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1. The combination of a member having an opening extending inwardly from a side face thereof, said member having opposed facing walls, a central upright member disposed centrally in said opening, a second member havmg outer opposed facing and a transverse slideway extending through said second member and disposed in registry with said opening in the first mentioned member, said slideway having a plate and opposed skids, said skids having opposed inner recesses at the fore parts thereof, tracks extending inwardly from said skids, said plate having a depending stop, an opening between sa d tracks, a U shaped locking unit within said slideway, said lll'llt of uniform thickness and formed of resilient metal with a cross member and a pair of legs substantially at right angles to said cross member, said cross member adapted to about said depending stop when said unit is in pro ected position preventing said unit from leaving said slideway, sa d unit extending beyond the outer opposed facmgs of said second member when in retracted position and movable from an inoperative retracted position to an operative projected position, said unit having elongated opposed projections extending from the side edges of the fore part of said legs for lodging in said inner recesses of said skids when said unit is in its retracted position, said projections each having a front and rear shoulder with a concave arcuated portion therebetween, said front shoulders overriding the front portions of said inner recesses upon inward pressure upon said cross member, said rear shoulders abutting the rear portions of said inner recesses when said unit is in its retracted position, outer notches adjacent the outer ends of said legs for inserting the finger nails of the thumb and another finger, said outer ends of said unit sloping inwardly for easing said upright member between said legs, inwardly facing opposed projections extending from the inner edges of said legs adjacent said sloping outer ends, said upright member when lodged between said legs of said unit exerting outward pressure upon the outer ends of said legs causing said rear shoulders to stop against the outer facing of said second member to prevent said unit from retracting into said slideway, said unit locking the two members together 24, the rear shoulders 29 lodgagainst rotation with respect to each other when the free ends of said legs of said unit are disposed within the gpening in the facing wall of said first mentioned mem- 2. The combination of a member having an opening extending inwardly from a side face thereof, said member having opposed facing walls, a central upright member disposed centrally in said opening, a second member having outer opposed facings and a transverse slideway extending through said second member and disposed in registry with said opening in the first mentioned member, said slideway having a plate and opposed skids, said skids having opposed inner recesses at the fore parts thereof, tracks extending inwardly from said skids, said plate having a depending stop, a U-shaped locking unit within said slideway, said unit formed of resilient metal with a cross member and legs substantially at right angles to said cross member, said cross member adapted to abut said depending stop when said unit is in projected position preventing said unit from leaving said slideway, said unit extending beyond the outer opposed facings of said second member when in retracted position and movable from an inoperative retracted position to an operative projected position, said unit having opposed front and rear shoulders extending from the side edges of the fore part of said legs for lodging in said inner recesses of said skids when said unit is in its retracted position, said front shoulders overriding the front portions of said inner recesses upon inward pressure upon said cross member, said rear shoulders abutting the rear portions of said inner recesses when said unit is in its retracted position, outer notches adjacent the outer ends of said legs for inserting the finger nails of the thumb and another finger, said outer ends of said unit sloping inwardly for easing said upright member between said legs, inwardly facing opposed projections extending from the inner edges of said legs adjacent said sloping outer ends, said upright member when lodged between said legs of said unit exerting outward pressure upon the outer ends of said legs causing said rear shoulders to stop against the outer facing of said second member to prevent said unit from retracting into said slideway, said unit locking the two members together against rotation with respect to each other when the free ends of said legs of said unit are disposed within the opening in the facing wall of said first mentioned member.

3. The combination of a member having an opening extending inwardly from a side face thereof, said member having opposed facing walls, a central upright member disposed centrally in said opening, a second member having outer opposed facings and a transverse slideway extending through said second member and disposed in registry with said opening in the first mentioned member, opposed skids in said slideway, said skids having opposed inner recesses, tracks extending inwardly from said skids for guiding a U-shaped locking unit, a depending stop in said slideway, said U-shaped locking unit movable within said slideway, said unit comprising a cross member and legs substantially at right angles to said cross member, said cross member adapted to abut said depending stop when said unit is in projected position preventing said unit from leaving said slideway, said unit extending beyond the outer opposed facings of said second member when in retracted position and movable from an inoperative retracted position to an operative projected position, said unit having opposed front and rear shoulders extending from the side edges of the fore part of said legs for lodging in said inner recesses of said skids when said unit is in its retracted position, said front shoulders overriding the front portions of said inner recesses upon inward pressure upon said cross member, said rear shoulders abutting the rear portions of said inner recesses when said unit is in its retracted position preventing said unit from leaving said slideway, outer notches adjacent the outer ends of said legs for inserting the finger nails of the thumb and another finger, said outer ends of said unit sloping inwardly for easing said upright member between said legs, said upright member lodged between said legs of said unit exerting outward pressure upon the outer ends of said legs causing said rear shoulders to stop against the outer facing of said second member to prevent said unit from retracting into said slideway, said unit locking the two members together against rotation with respect to each other when the free ends of said legs of said unit are disposed within the opening in the facing wall of said first mentioned member.

4. The combination of a member having an opening extending inwardly from a side face thereof, said member having opposed facing walls, a central upright member disposed centrally in said opening, a second member having outer opposed facings and a transverse slideway extending through said second member and disposed in registry with said opening in the first mentioned member, opposed skids in said slideway, said skids having opposed inner recesses, tracks extending inwardly from said skids for guiding a U-shaped locking unit, a depending stop in said slideway, said U-shaped locking unit movable within said slideway, a part of said unit adapted to abut said depending stop when said unit is in projected position preventing said unit from leaving said slideway, said unit extending beyond the outer opposed facings of said second member when in retracted position and movable from an inoperative retracted position to an operative projected position, said unit having opposed front and rear shoulders extending from the side edges of the fore part of said legs for lodging in said inner recesses of said skids when said unit is in its retracted position, said front shoulders overriding the front portions of said inner recesses upon inward pressure upon said cross member, said rear shoulders abutting the rear portions of said inner recesses when said unit is in its retracted position preventing said unit from leaving said slideway, outer notches adjacent the outer ends of said legs for inserting the finger nails of the thumb and another finger, said outer ends of said unit sloping inwardly for easing said upright member between said legs, said upright member lodged between said legs of said unit exerting outward pressure upon the outer ends of said legs causing said rear shoulders to stop against the outer facing of said second member to prevent said unit from retracting into said slideway, said unit locking the two members together against rotation with respect to each other when the free ends of said legs of said unit are disposed within the opening in the facing wall of said first mentioned member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,571,674 Braunstein Oct. 16, 1951 2,615,313 Shaetfer Oct. 28, 1952 

